Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Memoirs . . .
It’s nice remembering the bygone days. Though life now is far way advance than the times I was enjoying during my younger days, yet, those days were worth the memoirs! However hard life was seemingly, but it was not as complicated as the kind of life we are living today.
Today is a holiday, so I am just home. My kids and I got up late. . . just taking our time to relax! We had our breakfast at 8:00 A.M.. I prepared a fried marinated bangus (milk fish) and Beefies hotdog for breakfast. My kids just love the beefies hotdog more than any other hotdog brands, except of course the Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs which are also one of their favorites. Either the beefies or tender juicy hotdogs would make their day!
At lunch time, I had veggie soup and still the fried marinated milk fish in the morning. I left the other half for lunch though. My two kids and I had a great time together as we all bond and bring to mind the bygone days. We laughed together. . . and that was really great! Everything was really worth it.
After lunch, I thought of preparing the kids’ things for tomorrow’s school; their uniforms, my boy’s foods, and my girl’s items too. I checked everything ready, including my personal items for work the following day. After which everything was itemized and all set, I thought of warming my time in cleaning the house. From the windows, to every corner of the house and the furniture and appliances. I have to defrost my fridge and clean it inside and out.
There was a feeling of relief and joy after the whole house was dirt free. Though tired but satisfied because the surrounding is breezy and spanking new. While relaxing in my sofa, I remembered the picture albums I filed inside the locker. Two of the albums were my personal when I was yet single ...Others were pictures of my family’ s escapades.
Pictures are keepsakes . . . treasures to be mean! One day in our lives, we may retire from work and stays home or have our own momentary way of taking our day to day life, pictures of the long-gone days can be something to muse over. We cannot forget the past times of our lives; happy or painful moments, would always be part of the memoirs!
It’s nice to stay young always. Although we are aging, but feeling young is a matter of choice. Age? It’s just a number! It’s how we feel and deal with life that is important. . . Memoirs! Memoirs! Memoirs!
Our life today will be a Memoir of tomorrow!
Monday, November 15, 2010
A Glimpse at the STI – GenSan Campus Ministry . . .
Just this afternoon, I was able to meet again the STI-GenSan Campus Ministry students. This is our first meeting for the second semester. We decided to change the day of our regular meeting every Monday instead of having it every Wednesday. And we will continue with the flag pole prayer every Monday, from 7:00 – 7:15 AM, just minutes before the classes start. This, we do to pray for the whole STI family and of course, every activity and need of the students for the week.
I praise God for the lives of the students who were more than willing enough to be an instrument of salvation to their co-students. Aside from our Monday fellowship, we will still meet every Friday for our prayer meeting where prayer requests will be gathered to be prayed together along with other concerns of each member.
To God be the glory for His miraculous way of endeavoring students through the members of the campus ministry to come and join the campus fellowship. Just this afternoon after the meeting with the members of the campus ministry, there was a student who approached me about joining as a member. I welcomed her and she further told me that there were two of them . . . they were both first year!
This could be a way that God can reach out students to fulfill their individual calling in the ministry. I am fully convinced that God is working in the hearts of his children at STI. And along with the members of the Agape Campus Fellowship, I pray that God will continue to shower His favor abundantly and will open many doors for His grace that is unfathomable.
I am fully convinced that God is totally in control of everything! “There is no higher calling nor there will ever be greater honor than to bow and kneel before God’s throne . . .”, the song goes! God’s glory is amazing and His mercy endures forever! And forever will God reigns . . . because there is no other name than the name of Jesus Christ!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
So Consuming . . .
The word of God is really refreshing! It’s the real thing that makes our day! It cools us off when we’re down and when we are at our lowest point, the word of God lifts us up! It’s so amazing that when the road we are treading in life is seemingly dark and slightly visible to go through . . . it’s the power of the word of God that keeps us going! When we are at the brink of surrendering because of failures and hurts, it’s the word of God that awakens us and enlightens our way.
The book of Psalm, chapter 18:30-36 says, “What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it. Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock? Is not this the God who armed me, then aimed me in the right direction? Now I run like a deer; I’m king of the mountain. He shows me how to fight; I can bend a bronze bow! You protect me with salvation-armor; you hold me up with a firm hand, cares me with your gentle ways. You cleared the ground under me so my footing was firm.”
These verses were among the core verses that support the so awakening message this morning when I attended the church service at the DBC Center Point. The theme was “Burning with Passion, Bursting with Power”. It was a continuation of the November 10 anniversary message “Leaping Forward, Leading Change” by Pastor Andoy Docena. The message was such a blessing that from the very start until the last word was uttered, there was a life burning within me . . . bubbling! It was alive and full of anointing! Praise God! To God be the Glory!
In life, we are faced with every challenge. It takes for us to be burning with passion and to be bursting with power to go through the challenges ahead. Preparedness is a primary factor, second is courage, and the third is determination. Everything is coupled in passion. These are very important when we are to cross a chasm.
Our chasms in life vary . . . others are chosen while others are God-allowed to try us, to try our faith, and even try the words that have been absorbed and became rhema (Living word) in our life. No matter what kind of chasm there is in your life and in my life . . . what is important is that we are aware and prepared at treading it.
It is God and no other that necessitates our ”Leaping Forward and our Leading a Change”. The principle, “Burning with Passion, Bursting with Power” should earnestly be desired. And there’s no other way to make all these possible . . . except to abide in God’s presence! We need all the energy and intensity we can congregate to cross the chasm! Yes, We need God earnestly because everything emanates from our Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent God . . . He’s so Consuming!
Psalm 18: 28-29, “Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;
I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory! I smash the
bands of marauders. Vault the highest fences.”
Saturday, November 13, 2010
So mean . . .
Degrading and tainting words that are seemingly belittling you as a person really, really pain so much. No amount of words can ever describe the pain that one feels. The bruise is so deep that it would be impossible to heal it back again. It’s better to be beaten with a 100 paddles and 100 slashes than being blown off with foul words that even dogs would have a hard time digesting them.
Word spoken can either slay or upholds life. With the words we speak, we can add to the burden of life or lift the cares from the shoulders of another. Handicapping often occurs because we have allowed others to dictate our future or, by our own words, have hindered those to whom we speak. Sometimes, through listening we can better think in silence than allowing ourselves to talk and talk and talk and ending up to self pitying that you alone works and you alone are doing to patch up everything among the group or just between you and the other person. Listening is taking even just a short pause and realize what others have to say from their hearts.
When fear crops up, dishonesty comes. Laying down everything one after or before the other emanates from trust. When a foundation has no trust then it would turn out to be just a trash. . . no value at all!
Why can’t we just lift someone’s burden with a kind, encouraging word. Why should painful utterances be blown just to shout out how erroneous and how skewed the person is? Why should it be likened into a banging cymbals that from time to time have to be cruelly directed right at your very ear. Just to let the person know from time to time, and moment after moment that he or she is a distorted person? A useless person? An invaluable person? It’s scorching to hear when someone tells you that you are worthless, right? It’s more than being beaten upside down. The whole of your being is fallen and even downtrodden.
Out of the depths, we can only cry to God! He listens . . . He never condemns . . . He’s a real friend! So refreshing that we have a God and He sends instruments to mend broken hearts . . . yes, I mean Friends!
Life does not always yield secrets to the most gifted or the most talented or the best looking, but will to those who are persistent, committed, and willing to work and not give up too soon. Fewer friends though can be trusted! Look for them!
Therapy would be best option to consider. And work is a therapy, struggle can be the vehicle through which lifestyle changes can come about. When life is a challenge, reaching a goal is much more appreciated. There is never a time when we have arrived. It’s a long-winded, not a dash, it’s a process and there is never a shortcut. So, salute the struggle and fight back! How? Run the race and go after the prize! Increase your desire and work for it! Go for it! It’s amazing what one life can accomplish when that person believes in others! It’s easy to speak and condemns! But trust is important . . . as you lay down trust, so will trust begets trust.
Psalms 27:1 . . . The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Making a Comeback . . .
Have you read the story about the “Prodigal Son” in the book of Luke, chapter 15? This is about a younger son who asked his father to give him his share of the property which belongs to him. After he got all his share, he journeyed to a far country. The story tells us that this younger son squandered all his resources in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country where he was, and he began to be in need.
He began to look and to find a means to survive living. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. He started pitying himself and remembered the abundance back home with his father.
The younger son then came to his senses and thought of coming back home. His father have many hired servants and have more than enough bread. But here, he was in a foreign country and perishing in hunger. He has to decide whether or not to continue living and get back home, or his pride would eat him up and die in hunger and want.
This younger son arose and went back to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. His son asked forgiveness to his father and before the Lord, acknowledging of his own mistakes . . . that he was not worthy anymore to be called his son.
But instead, the father said to his servants to bring quickly the best robe and put it on his son, and put a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. His father ordered to bring the fattened calf and butcher it, and have a great feasting and celebrate the coming back of his son who was dead and now here he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found.
The story of the prodigal son is actually our own story before the God of Creation. Once, we were all gone astray and lost before the presence of the Lord. It was our sins that made us separated from God. We went our own way and live a kind of live apart from God’s presence. We live a separated life and allowed ourselves to be enticed with the wiles of the world.
However stubborn we were then, God never ceased knocking at the very door of our hearts and invited us to come back to Him. Until such time we can no longer contain living alone and being pressed with so much burdens, and there’s no way out . . . but getting back to God. He is always there to console us and wholeheartedly accept us, no matter what we have done with our past life, the Lord forgives and forgets. Remember that nothing lasts!!!
To me, it’s always great to see somebody make a comeback from the brink of oblivion and defeat! There’s an inspiration in watching this happen on such a scale. But this is a possibility for every person who has been subjected to the pounding of life. Knowing that living in this world is seemingly not fair! Life is not fair, yes! But there also is no gain without pain or loss. Toughness is the mental attitude needed more than any other to make a comeback . . . this combined with faith are two elements that will allow us to have the attitude of a “pride-free” comeback!
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory:
no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84: 11
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me
a willing spirit, to sustain me. Ps. 51: 12
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